HISTORY

Formed in January 1996

A Branch of the Royal British Legion serving members of the 'Y' Services.  Garat's Hay was proclaimed a National Branch (NH007) in 1997 in recognition of its unique nature, being the first one ever to recruit, not on a geographical basis, but from a particular section of the British Armed Forces.  Members, serving and retired,  are distinguished by service with Wireless Intercept elements.

Named the Garat's HaY Branch in honour of its birthplace, an historic location alongside Beaumanor Hall in Leicestershire.  Beaumanor was home to a principal World War 2 intercept station serving Bletchley Park - the home of the Enigma Codebreakers. (In addition to the official Bletchley Park site above, you may wish to visit a site providing many photographs and descriptions of buildings and wartime work at the Park. Click here to do so.)

If your interest in the history of wireless intercept activity extends beyond Garat's Hay, you can find broader-based information on the World Wide Web Pages maintained by the United Kingdom's Government Communications Headquarters, the American National Security Agency and Australia's own Defence Signals Directorate. The Nautical Brass site is also highly recommended as a place to find information on the secret war involving wireless intercept and codebreaking. It contains a plethora of links to other fascinating sites. If you have a broader interest in telecommunications, you may find the site managed by the British Telecommunications Heritage Group interesting.

As for the history of Garats Hay in the future, the site has been fully developed for Welbeck College, which has become the tri-Service college known as "Welbeck, The Defence Sixth Form College"  For further details, please click here.

• To promote and support the work of the Royal British Legion, the United Kingdom's leading Service charity - and especially to cater to the needs of 'Y' Service personnel - in accordance with the Organisation's Royal Charter

• To provide a focus for social contact and reunion amongst members of the 'Y' Services - past and present.

Patron

The Branch is honoured to have the ex-Chief of Defence Logistics, now Master of Signals, General Sir Sam Cowan KCB CBE as patron. His involvement acknowledges his early service as a Royal Signals troop commander at Garat's Hay Barracks.

Links and Associations

The Branch has links with several Associations serving special interest groups with Wireless Intercept links. These include the Royal Signals Association, its Langeleben Branch and the Beaumanor Reunion Group (coordinated by Mrs Joan Nicholls, 51 Hilldale Road, Cheam, Surrey SM1 2JA, United Kingdom).  Many of the groups and associations with whom we have sympathy are listed on our dedicated 'links' page.  Click here to view it.  

 Anyone who has an interest in the content of this website will also find much to inform them about signals matters, especially those of an historical nature, at the Royal Corps of Signals Museum at Blandford in Dorset, England. There is also much to entertain and intrigue at the Museum of Defence Intelligence and the Intelligence Corps at Chicksands in Bedfordshire. Details of admission, which is by appointment only, can be obtained by telephoning UK (0044) (0)1462 752340